Miami mayor: City in better financial shape

Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado, in an expansive 47-minute “state of the city” speech at City Hall Wednesday, took credit for lowering taxes and upgrading services.

But four years after taking office, the mayor still couldn’t resist bashing the administration of his predecessor, Manny Diaz. The first half of Regalado’s speech was all about how Miami has recovered from four years ago, when “our city’s future was in jeopardy.”

The mayor focused on how he, along with the city commission, enabled the city to overcome a $100 million deficit, and how — in his opinion — the past administration wasn’t nearly as accessible as his.

His example: There was a bell in place when he arrived that visitors to the mayor’s office had to ring to get assistance. He saw it as an obstacle.

“Being mayor was not about cutting ribbons, grandiose ambitions and even grander parties. . . . The first day as mayor I had the bell removed,” he said.